Businessmen cashing in on Metro Manila Reclamation project –IBON
Businessmen cashing in on Metro Manila Reclamation project –IBON
Manila Bay
IBON.org
Research group IBON said that the Manila Bay reclamation project under the Build, Build, Build program is a profit-led infrastructure plan that will mainly benefit big business. The group said that contrary to government claims, the project will displace nearby communities from their homes and livelihoods and destroy the environment.
The Manila Bay Reclamation project involves a series of infrastructure reclamation projects spanning the coasts of Bulacan, Manila, Pasay, and Cavite. According to the Philippine Reclamation Authority, there are a total of 22 proposed projects for Manila Bay alone, four of which have been approved. The project is under the “Operational Plan for the Manila Bay Coastal Strategy (OPMBCS)” by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). It aims to tap private sector investments to develop Manila Bay and supposedly usher economic growth.
IBON said that there are a number of corporations set to build and profit from these projects during the Manila Bay Reclamation. The largest and most expensive of these are being carried out by the San Miguel Corporation (SMC) led by Ramon Ang. The Php735-billion Bulacan International Airport or Aerotropolis will reclaim around 2,500 hectares of Manila Bay waters, and the Php400-billion Manila Bay Integrated Flood Control project will reclaim 11,200 hectares.
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